Fine Gael dragging down ambition on Climate Resolution – Boylan

The European Parliament has passed a resolution once again calling on EU leaders to ramp up climate action. Spokesperson for climate change for GUE/NGL and Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan, in Strasbourg, said:

“Yesterday, I addressed the Parliament during the climate change debate calling out the groups that have been consistently weakening climate ambition at EU level. Today, I am glad that the progressive forces in the Parliament have been able to overcome the climate laggards and reassert that the European Parliament wants the EU to take much more radical action on climate.

“My amendment succeeded in this resolution, stressing the need to actively involve younger generations in the fight against climate change. I felt this was an important addition to the resolution in light of the stunt last week from liberal and conservative parties to keep the voice of young people outside the Parliament.

“I am appalled but in no way surprised at how my Fine Gael counterparts voted on today’s climate resolution. All four Fine Gael MEPs voted to remove the most progressive parts of this resolution, and to drag down its ambition. They voted against a 100% renewable-based energy strategy, against boosting the EU’s 2030 climate target to 55%, and against asking the EU to phase out fossil fuel subsidies.

“This week, Brexit chaos completely smothered the media pick up on the fact that we invited 60 young climate strikers in the European Parliament chamber to watch the climate debate, after Greta Thunberg was vetoed from addressing the Parliament by centre- and right-wing groups. The debate yesterday clearly showed where interests lie on climate change and how liberal and conservative political ideologies clearly cannot go hand in hand with the rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented climate action we need.

“Only a left approach to climate can deliver the essential merging of climate and social policy that we need to have the public buy in on dramatic climate action. However, today, we got one step closer to knocking over the status-quo establishment, who only want to talk about climate and take no action. Today the Parliament secured an endorsement for boosting climate ambition to 55% emissions reductions by 2030, a much needed facelift from the current 40%, which doesn’t even match the science.”